Handchimes which produce a musical note consisting of a tubular body with an integral clapper are well-known in the musical arts. A handchime of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,932 issued to Malta. A problem with this type of instrument is unwanted overtones or harmonics of the fundamental tone which are created by the vibrating tines that produce the musical note. The purest sound is produced when only the fundamental frequency alone is heard.
As disclosed in the Malta patent, a damper pad slidably affixed to the clapper bar may be used to control the sharpness of the sound. By positioning the damper pad along the top of the upper tine of the instrument, the amount of sustain of the sound may be controlled. Because the damper pad moves with the clapper, a totally unsustained note may be played by holding the handchime at a backward angle so that the damper pad does not contact the tines after the note is struck. Although the adjustable damper pad of the prior art devices has been used to control the sustain of the note, there has been no regard to intentionally isolate the fundamental tone.